Caitlin Clark (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)

In just a matter of hours, Caitlin Clark will become the new franchise face when the Indiana Fever use the first overall pick of the 2024 WNBA Draft on the Iowa superstar.

Caitlin Clark became the all-time NCAA Division I leading scorer during her final college basketball season, leading the Hawkeyes to a second straight national championship game appearance. They ultimately fell to the South Carolina Gamecocks 87-75 in the big game.

It was a heartbreaking way for Clark’s storied NCAA career to conclude, but a special celebration is on the way as she prepares to turn pro.

And just how high is the hype on the 22-year-old superstar guard? Put it this way: Ben Pickman and Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic spoke to one anonymous WNBA GM who said they would trade away their entire roster for Clark:

“I would trade my whole team for her. Partly because our owner would do it to sell tickets. But on top of that, that’s such a great piece to start to build around. She’s (like Diana) Taurasi coming out, and look what Taurasi’s done.”

And to further understand just how much of an impact Caitlin Clark is going to make, consider that the WNBA has already announced that 36 of Indiana’s 40 games in 2024 will be nationally televised.

In her final NCAA season, Clark averaged 31.6 points, 7.4 rebounds and 8.9 assists per game, shooting 45.5 percent from the field and 37.8 percent from beyond the arc.

Caitlin Clark Will Single-Handedly Change The Fever Franchise

The past decade has not been kind to the Indiana Fever, who haven’t qualified for the postseason since 2016. They were once a model of consistency, having made the playoffs every year from 2005 to 2016.

Indiana made the WNBA Finals three times during that span (2009, 2012 and 2015), but they haven’t won a playoff series in nine years. The good news is that they’re about to land a generational talent who should take the organization to new heights in short time.

The Fever will open their 2024 regular season against Connecticut on May 14. Two days later, they’ll welcome New York for the home opener in front of what promises to be a fired up crowd.